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Why are images loading extremely slow in emails

  • 10 replies
  • 4 have this problem
  • 4 views
  • Last reply by Matt

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When I go to my inbox, each email that contains images (non-attached) like ads from say NewEgg, they either take forever to load, or I have to back out of that email and open it again to see the images? I do have "display images" on.

Also, when an email contains a link and I click it, I get the old "can't display website...check settings, etc.. until I hit refresh? This just started a month ago and is driving my crazy. Could this be from the last update?

Windows 7, IE 9

When I go to my inbox, each email that contains images (non-attached) like ads from say NewEgg, they either take forever to load, or I have to back out of that email and open it again to see the images? I do have "display images" on. Also, when an email contains a link and I click it, I get the old "can't display website...check settings, etc.. until I hit refresh? This just started a month ago and is driving my crazy. Could this be from the last update? Windows 7, IE 9

All Replies (10)

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Thank you for the reply, but I don't work offline with email, nor is my email set to imap.

Its set for pop3. I have played with the MTU settings in my router, disabled or disconnected wi-fi devices, and still have this issue. I even pulled the router out of service with no luck that way either.

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The way that link provided to set up mail, IS the way I have it set. Still have the issue.

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Also, I came to this site from the link in an email and its all wonky? Everything is listed inline from top to bottom on the left pane...everything. If I hit refresh, I see the page as it should be just for a moment, centered with shaded text boxes) then it goes back to everything shoved over to the left side. Which is quite hard to navigate. Maybe IE9 has become incompatible with everything.

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Could be IE9... I just opened my copy of internet explorer for the first time in years, and it reports it is Version 11.

Every roundup of browsers I look at rates Internet Explorer as Slow, both Firefox and Chrome are faster and still are more secure. The only reason to use IE as I see it is to access corporate line of business applications that require it.

Try disabling your anti virus and see if that speeds things up. I am guessing that the scanning might not be working as well as it should. Also check your temp location and clean it out. Might be there is loads of junk there that is slowing things down. I have seen more than 10,000 temp files orphaned in the temp folder and mail sending was timing out while windows went looking for a temp file name and created it.

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I updated to the latest IE and that seemed to help. For some reason my anti-virus sw blocks me from firefox downloads. The only way to get it is to disable anti-virus and that's not going to happen. I tried to "allow" the Mozilla site but it still blocks it.

I'll just deal with the slow images until I get a new modem which is what I'm suspicious about now. Its over 8 years old and started making a very faint high pitch squeal. Not a good sign, and could be the problem.

Anyone have a recommendation for a good dsl modem?

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TheNightowl said

Anyone have a recommendation for a good dsl modem?

I just use Netgear and keep a spare in the cupboard, along with a spare DSL filter.

I am more interested in your Firefox issues, of which you Thunderbird issues are probably an extension.

What anti virus are you using? You say disabling the AV allows images in Firefox otherwise nothing. That by itself sort of excludes the DSL modem (even if it is dying) as you can change the software situation on the PC to fix the problem. I assume you have updated from IE 9 to IE 11

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Yes, went to IE 11 which I dislike. I'm using Vipre anti-Virus and they are the first place I went with this problem. They have checked everything possible in those settings and don't even see anything blocked as far as email. Shutting down Vipre has little to no effect so it must be a setting or internet speed?

Its working much better now but I still at times have to back out of the viewed email and reopen it to see the images. I started paying more attention to the download progress bar at the bottom of Thunderbird. It progresses' slow on some emails and fast on others. Sometimes there is no progress bar, and all images in that email are broken until I reopen that email then see the progress bar in action. My internet speed is just the basic 1.5mbs.

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Something to take note of here is the source of the images. I have seen occasions where anti virus chokes and dies, for want of a better term, when a mail with a number of images from the same web site is scanned.

Mostly they were mails that were doing the rounds with car crashes or cute cats. But the principal is the same.

Please try rebooting into safe mode with Networking. This loads only the very basics needed to start your computer while enabling an Internet connection. Click on your operating system for instructions on how to start in safe mode: Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, OSX